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Place the garlic cloves, peeled ginger knob, fresh Thai chilies, and dried Thai chilies into a mortar.

Using a pestle, pound the ingredients vigorously until they form a coarse paste. Ensure all chilies and aromatics are well broken down.

Add the granulated sugar to the paste in the mortar.

Cut the lime in half and squeeze its juice directly into the mortar, ensuring no seeds fall in.

Add the MSG to the mixture in the mortar.

Measure and add the fish sauce to the mortar.

Using a spoon, stir all the ingredients in the mortar thoroughly to combine them. Make sure the sugar is dissolved.

Stir in the chopped cilantro.

Taste the Jeow Som and adjust seasonings as desired. The sauce should have a balanced profile of spicy, sour, and a savory kick. Add more lime for sourness, sugar for sweetness, or fish sauce for saltiness/umami.

If a thinner consistency is desired, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring until the preferred consistency is reached.

Serve the Jeow Som immediately as a dipping sauce for grilled meats like steak or chicken, or with seafood.


Place the garlic cloves, peeled ginger knob, fresh Thai chilies, and dried Thai chilies into a mortar.

Using a pestle, pound the ingredients vigorously until they form a coarse paste. Ensure all chilies and aromatics are well broken down.

Add the granulated sugar to the paste in the mortar.

Cut the lime in half and squeeze its juice directly into the mortar, ensuring no seeds fall in.

Add the MSG to the mixture in the mortar.

Measure and add the fish sauce to the mortar.

Using a spoon, stir all the ingredients in the mortar thoroughly to combine them. Make sure the sugar is dissolved.

Stir in the chopped cilantro.

Taste the Jeow Som and adjust seasonings as desired. The sauce should have a balanced profile of spicy, sour, and a savory kick. Add more lime for sourness, sugar for sweetness, or fish sauce for saltiness/umami.

If a thinner consistency is desired, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring until the preferred consistency is reached.

Serve the Jeow Som immediately as a dipping sauce for grilled meats like steak or chicken, or with seafood.
